FLT concludes memorable first season in its new home

Veteran Florence Little Theatre-goers looked back during the community theater group’s first season in new South Dargan Street digs.
The production of “Peter Pan” the past couple of weeks concluded a season with facilities they could not have dreamed of in their early years.
My idea of the most memorable moment in this show came with Peter Pan’s first entrance. “He” flew in toward the audience dropping some sort of stuff that sparkled up a storm in the stage lights, then landed at mid-stage, facing the audience and looking very pleased with “himself.”
“He” and “himself” above are surrounded by quotes because the male character is played by a decidedly non-male performer named Kimi Simon. Customarily, actresses play the male part, including Mary Martin who made it famous.
It is Miss Simon’s eighth role at FLT, and it was a biggie. She did the required singing, dancing and acting very well, but I think what impressed me most was how she flew all over the place, attached to cables, of course. My bet is that most of the audience would have been scared out of their wits if required to do her flying.
In fact, it occurred to me that it is not just that such flying could not have been done in FLT’s first permanent home at the airport because the characters would have bumped into the walls and ceiling, but the equipment could not even have been installed there.
Also flying about were Kristin Shorter as Wendy Darling and Donovan McPherson and Nicholas Pierce as the other Darling children. At the end, Raija Haughn as Wendy’s daughter (You see, unlike Peter Pan, Wendy grows up and in the last act has become a mother.) also flew with Peter Pan.
There always are unsung heroes, but for my money the flying crew of Michael Ferber, Craig Lovensheimer, Tim Schatz, Tim Shorter and Jim Shorter really qualify for unsung hero designation. They were the ones jumping around and pulling and jerking on cables backstage to make the performers fly. It must have been some job and really good exercise. No machines were doing that work.
The lighting was great, including some good stuff with Peter Pan’s shadow and the music under Robin Thompson’s direction was the main reason for the whole thing.
The sets were something that could not have been done at the airport and would have been a stretch on Cashua where the theater was housed the previous 40 years. Lisa Sims and Craig Lovensheimer built the outstanding sets that included a ship for Neverland pirates.
Michael Lindley played two roles; Sarah Morrison was Mrs. Darling; and it seemed like there were dozens of enthusiastic youth. Indians, pirates and mermaids were among the things we saw on stage, and Carissa Fazio was the laser light operator who kept Tinkerbell scooting around.
Dwight Lindley presided as director, and Scarlett Knight was assistant director. They delivered a fine production and apparently rode herd successfully over all of the young’uns.
Burnadene Kelley was choreographer, and there were fast-paced, spirited dance numbers that livened things. Costume mistress Abby Mills must have had her hands full, and if you saw the show, you know what I mean.
Forty years ago I worried that FLT’s productions might not look as good on their slick new Cashua stage, but I had no such worries when they moved to Dargan. I knew they were equal to the challenge.
The theater’s first South Dargan show, “Jesus Christ, Superstar,” generated a little controversy before the production but none about the quality. It was a splendid job to open what turned out to be a splendid season.
FLT did a fine job on drama with “The Miracle Worker,” a show that saw another fine set, and comedy with “The Odd Couple.” “Plaid Tidings,” was another romp with The Plaids, personnel somewhat changed. Then “Peter Pan” topped off the kind of season FLT’s new home demands.
Errata
In last week’s column, I called football great Doc Blanchard a Bishopville native. He did go on to fame as a Bishopville youth and is most identified with that town, but he was born in McColl.
Also, I forgot to mention the Tobacco Bowl Queen at the Jan. 1, 1949 game was Vi Barringer, a McClenaghan High School student, now Vi B. Harris.

— Thom Anderson is a retired journalist who has 40 years experience with South Carolina newspapers, including the Morning News. He can be reached at THIDBIT@ aol.com.